Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci on Monday as the medical advisor received pushback for saying that he “represent[s] science.”
As reported by The Hill, “Cotton on Monday blasted Fauci on Fox while reiterating his call for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) head to be investigated, accusing him of lying to Congress about funding ‘gain-of-function’ research in China. Fauci has repeatedly pushed back on such claims before.”
Per Fox News, Cotton stated:
“Tony Fauci lied to Congress and he should be investigated. He repeatedly said that his agency did not fund dangerous and risky gain of function research in those Wuhan labs, which almost certainly was the origin of this virus. He said it repeatedly to Congress. His agency just admitted a few weeks ago that yes, they did in fact, fund gain of function research. So there’s a lie there. It’s either Tony Fauci lying to Congress or his agency after months of stonewalling, writing a letter to Congress and admitting it. I suspect it’s Tony Fauci lying on the spot in his testimony to Congress. He put the American people at risk by funding this dangerous research, which was happening under the Obama administration, which he thought he knew better than the people’s elected representatives. It’s just another example of how these bureaucrats think that they are the science, that they represent the epitome of knowledge and those grubby politicians, like the president of the United States and United States senators and representatives, have no business telling them what to do. That’s not the way our democracy functions.”
Fauci has faced immense backlash from Republicans after his recent discussion on CBS’s “Face The Nation” with host Margaret Brennan.
As reported by The Daily Wire, “Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to President Biden boasted, ‘[I] represent science’ while simultaneously referencing those, including those who ‘spins lies and threatens,’ ‘the congressional committees and the Rand Pauls,’ and ‘all that other nonsense.’”
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) pushed back on Twitter, writing, “The absolute hubris of someone claiming THEY represent science. It’s astounding and alarming that a public health bureaucrat would even think to claim such a thing, especially one who has worked so hard to ignore the science of natural immunity.”
The absolute hubris of someone claiming THEY represent science. It’s astounding and alarming that a public health bureaucrat would even think to claim such a thing, especially one who has worked so hard to ignore the science of natural immunity. https://t.co/rcDezphVRR
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) November 28, 2021
The Daily Wire noted, “Paul has targeted Fauci since at least last March, when they got into a heated exchange.”
Paul said to Fauci, “You’ve had the vaccine and you’re wearing two masks. Isn’t that theater?”
Paul asked, “Given that no scientific studies have shown significant numbers of reinfections of patients previously infected or previously vaccinated, what specific studies do you cite to argue the public should be wearing masks well into 2022?”
“I’m not sure I understand the connection of what you’re saying about masks and reinfection,” Fauci replied. “We’re talking about people who have never been infected before.”
“You’re telling everybody to wear a mask whether they’ve had an infection or a vaccine,” Paul said. “What I’m saying is they have immunity and everybody agrees they have immunity. What studies do you have that people that’ve had the vaccine or had the infection are spreading the infection? If we’re not spreading the infection, isn’t it just theater?”
“No, it’s not,” Fauci insisted.
Paul also questioned Fauci about if the National Institutes of Health (NIH) gave funding to the Wuhan lab’s gain-of-function research. “Dr. Fauci, do you still support funding of the NIH funding of the lab in Wuhan?” Paul asked Fauci.
“Senator Paul, with all due respect, you are entirely, entirely and completely incorrect,” Fauci replied. “The NIH has not ever and does not now fund gain of function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology.”
Later, in July, Paul stated,“Dr. Fauci, as you are aware, it is a crime to lie to Congress.”
“On your last trip to our committee on May 11, you stated that the NIH has not ever and does not now fund gain-of-function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology,” he said.
Paul pointed to a paper by Dr. Shi Zhengli of the Wuhan Virology Lab, and asked, “Knowing it is a crime to lie to Congress, do you wish to retract your statement?”
“Senator Paul, I have never lied before the Congress, and I do not retract that statement,” Fauci answered back. “This paper that you are referring to was judged by qualified staff up and down the chain as not being gain-of-function.”